How Can Gum Pockets Be Reversed
Posted on December 17, 2024
Gum disease or periodontitis is a prevalent condition that affects the vast majority of adults. In its early stages, gum disease or gingivitis can present itself in the form of mild inflammation, but as it progresses, it can lead to severe damage to the soft tissues and bone that support your teeth. One manifestation of advanced gum disease is gum pockets, which form when the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, creating openings that act as breeding grounds for bacteria. With a leading periodontist in Oshawa like Dr. Adam Ohayon and The Perio Centre team, gum pockets don’t have to be a permanent problem. It is possible to reverse the progression of gum pockets and restore your oral health with periodontal treatments such as periodontal flap surgery and personalized care.
Why Do Gum Pockets Form?
Gum pockets are the result of gum disease, which occurs when plaque builds up around the gumline and teeth. As plaque hardens, it biomes tartar, which irritates the gums and leads to periodontitis. It’s important to take gum disease and gum pockets seriously, as it can lead to infection and tooth loss without intervention from an experienced periodontist near you.
Some other factors that contribute to the formation of deep gum pockets include smoking, aging, stress, certain medications, chronic dry mouth, Vitamin C deficiencies, diabetes or insulin irregularities, and hormonal changes (menopause, pregnancy, etc.).
To reverse this, the primary goal of your periodontist in Oshawa is to clean these pockets thoroughly and promote healing and reattachment of the gums to the tooth surfaces. Treatments like subgingival irrigation and periodontal flap surgery are designed to extend the lifespan of your natural teeth by preserving the supporting bones and gum tissue.
Here are some treatments that periodontists use to control and reverse deep gum pockets.
Non-Surgical Gum Therapy for Soft Tissue
Soft tissue management at The Perio Centre involves using special Piezo technology that is gently cleaned around the teeth, gumline, and gum pockets. During this stage, your periodontist in Oshawa is removing tartar buildup to stop it from receding, lifting, or further irritating the gums.
Root Scaling and Planing Therapy
Root scaling and planing is a form of periodontal therapy and hygiene that involves removing plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line (scaling) and smoothing the rough spots on the tooth root (root planing). Smoothing the root helps remove bacteria and provides a clean surface to which the gums can reattach themselves. This treatment can significantly reduce the depth of the gum pockets, facilitating easier cleaning and maintenance.
Laser Treatment & Subgingival Irrigation
To prevent or stop bacteria from forming in gum pockets that form, we also use non-invasive laser technology and antibiotic irrigation. Visiting your local periodontist in Oshawa for soft tissue management can help slow the progression of the disease to protect the longevity of your smile.
Periodontal Flap Surgery
When significant gum pockets have formed, your periodontist may suggest periodontal flap surgery as the best path forward. At this point, gum pockets are typically overwhelmed with bacteria and difficult to manage independently. Without the intervention of periodontal surgery, gum pockets can become infected and lead to bone loss, compromising the stability of the tooth. During the procedure, periodontists carefully lift gums and deep clean the pockets, flushing them of bacteria. This ultimately helps reduce the depth of periodontal pockets and supports their reattachment to the tooth surface. This surgical intervention is designed to stop the progression of periodontal disease and save natural teeth by restoring the health of the gums and bones around them.
Guided Tissue Regeneration
When the gums and bones that support your teeth have been severely affected by gum disease, the stability of your natural teeth can be compromised substantially. Guided tissue regeneration is a procedure that is designed to save teeth. This procedure can be done on its own or in tandem with Periodontal Flap Surgery and other periodontal treatments. Once the area is cleaned out, periodontists at The Perio Centre use Emdogain technology to regenerate the affected bone structures, which are all critical to the components of the tooth.
Protect Your Teeth and Gums at The Perio Centre
Gum disease does not have to be the end of the road for your natural teeth. With high-level care and patient-centric solutions, The Perio Centre offers treatment options to help you preserve your natural teeth or restore function to missing teeth. To learn more about how Dr. Adam Ohayon, a trusted periodontist in Oshawa and our team of medical specialists and experts can help you, book a consultation.